Bo Ningen – III

In 2012 Bo Ningen announced themselves to the UK as the most badass thing around with their second album ‘Line The Wall’. It was a spectacular display of uninhibited rock ‘n’ roll that was going to be a tough act to follow.

‘III’ opens with ‘Da Da Da’, which has has explosive drums, spiky vocals and catchy riffs reminiscent of ‘Soko’ and ‘Daikaisei’ from their previous helping ‘Line The Wall’. ‘Da Da Da’ though, treads new paths with the interludes of escapism driven by the guitars. They are dreamier than their predecessors, Mercury Rev, on speed.

The subtle new direction they have taken is again evident on ‘Psychedelic Misemono Goya (reprise)’. The initial moments of the song plod along with Japanese vocals, building up the suspense before you’re hit with the release. On ‘Line The Wall’, this would have been followed by an explosion of noise and euphoria. Here though, rather than a big gear change was cruise control, it allows the garage rock element of the track to remain throughout like a dance beat whilst the more idyllic noises are allowed the freedom to float in, out and over the top at will.

The new direction of this album might not be encased in the fall to the floor excitement of yesteryear, but this is still an album of intensity and vision. ‘III’ has a feel of The Clash’s ‘Give Em Enough Rope’, it won’t be your favourite album by the band but it will be one to revisit.

Thou Shalt Always Get Better

In 2007, the Skins generation was given a much needed voice and a sound to follow into battle. Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip combined social commentary and hip hop with elements of nu-rave and dance culture to create something truly unique and at Bestival this year, they called time on their partnership. So, TT wants to take a look at their journey and the impact they have made.

Hearing ‘Thou Shalt Always Kill’ for the first time was a life changing event for many, this writer included. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one in 2007, who after university was stuck in a rut feeling like the world was full up for anyone with ideas of change.

Dan Le Sac’s aggressive sound combined with Pip’s lyrics provided the perfect tonic for anyone needing proof that the future is unwritten. Reputable journalists still talk about the time Joe Strummer sang ‘finally Beatle mania has bitten the dust’ on The Clash’s ‘London Calling’. ‘Thou Shalt Always Kill’ has this power. To hear Pip list the greatest bands of all time and proclaim they are ‘just a band’ is the modern day equivalent of being told ‘here are 3 chords, now go write a song’. 

However, we don’t want this retrospective to be about just one song though, so, we are going to make it about two songs (for the record, they have 3 killer albums together!!!!!) When Pulp headlined Reading festival in 2011, Jarvis said before playing ‘Common People’, “if Pulp are only ever remembered for this song, I don’t care it’s a good song.” ‘Get Better’ should have been that song for Dan and Scroob. Everything about this song is beautiful. Vocals, synths, lyrics, delivery, everything! Perhaps the most poignant moment of the song comes from the Billy Bragg reference:

‘Like Billy says / Whether you have or have not wealth / The system might fail you / But don’t fail yourself’.

This line becomes prominent in hindsight because the system seemingly failed them. XFM has given Pip a show recently but where was the airplay? How can the Mercury Music Prize be taken seriously when all 3 of their albums were overlooked?

We don’t want to end on a sour note though. Standing in the big top tent at Bestival with 12,000 fellow fans was a moment to cherish forever. Watching Pip perform amidst a frenzied crowd and Dan deliver his trademark banter and technical wizardry will live long in the memory. This might have been the end of their double act but there is too much creativity in their fingertips for their future projects to be silenced as well.